Dr. Holly L. Thacker discusses the connection between breast cancer and menopause in midlife women.

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) affects more than one third of adult women. HerDesire.net is an online central-source for education about screening, diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of HSDD. The goal of the HSDD initiative is to provide the following education objectives: Define and differentiate between FSD and HSDD through careful use of screening questionnaires, assessment, and physical examination, to ensure proper diagnosis and successful non-medical and medical…

When you exercise could impact how well you sleep later. EXERCISE IS A KEY WAY to stay healthy and live a longer, more productive life. It’s beneficial in several ways, not least of which is its ability to promote good sleep. Tiring yourself out with a tough workout is a great way to help your body feel ready for sleep when it’s time to go to bed. And regular physical activity can help you stay asleep longer and wake up feeling more refreshed in the morning. However, the time of day you…

A wave of illness involving children and teens is starting to raise some concern. The illness, which doctors are calling pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), is believed to be linked to COVID-19, but there is much that is still unknown. Pediatric rheumatologists Sirada Panupattanapong, MD and Elizabeth B. Brooks, MD, PhD share what we know so far about MIS-C. MIS-C is a Kawasaki-like illness MIS-C mirrors the symptoms of another rare childhood illness, Kawasaki disease,…

Dr. Holly L. Thacker and her son Stetson T. Thacker, PhD discuss how eating certain foods can help improve mental and physical health. And conversely, how some foods can affect your medication levels!

Dr. Holly L. Thacker and Leigh Klekar share tips on how kids and parents can prepare for a very different school year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Interview With Dr. Holly Thacker and her 2020 Fellowship Trainees

Dr. Holly L. Thacker and her new fellowship trainees join Dr. Heather Hirsch in her latest women's health podcast.

In this podcast, Dr. Hirsch speaks candidly with her women’s health fellowship mentor and educator Dr. Holly L. Thacker. Dr. Thacker leads the Center For Specialized Women’s Health at the Cleveland Clinic and is also the director of the specialized women’s health fellowship training program at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Hirsch and Dr. Thacker discuss the unique role of the physician who has undergone extensive training and years of clinical experience in women’s health, and how this can impact the care of women across the reproductive life span. Dr. Thacker is also the face behind the widely successful speaking of women’s health blog, a nationally recognized site for the education of women straight from the experts.

Join in as they talk about medical training, barriers to women’s midlife care, and the future of women’s health fellowship training with Dr. Tiffany Cochran and Dr. Tara Lyer.

Speaking of Women's Health Executive Director Dr. Holly L. Thacker invited to the White House to witness President Donald Trump sign four orders to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for Americans.

President Trump signed multiple executive orders on Friday aimed at lowering the cost of prescription drugs such as insulin. The executive orders the president signed will require discounts on insulin and EpiPens that were given to some hospitals to be passed on to patients; and speed up a proposal to import prescription drugs from Canada and other countries for pharmacies, wholesalers and states. The president said the changes should eliminate the "middlemen" in drug purchases. "The…

FDA advises consumers not to use any hand sanitizer manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico, due to the potential presence of methanol (wood alcohol), a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested. FDA has identified the following products manufactured by Eskbiochem: All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)Lavar 70 Gel Hand…

Guest columnist and Cleveland Clinic Fertility Expert Dr. Laura Detti shares what new techniques are available for fertility preservation.

Dr. Sabrina K. Sahni discusses the importance of midlife women's care and how she is helping women receive the care they need at Cleveland Clinic Florida.

Link between progesterone and depressive symptoms is new, and may have therapeutic implicationsWomen are particularly vulnerable to mood disturbances, ranging from subsyndromal depressive symptoms to major depression, during the menopausal transition period. While epidemiologic studies consistently demonstrate this, our understanding of the biological mechanisms for these prevalent symptoms remains limited.An observational study by Joffe et al., published in the Journal of Clinical…

Evofem Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVFM) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Phexxi™ (lactic acid, citric acid and potassium bitartrate) vaginal gel for the prevention of pregnancy in females of reproductive potential for use as an on-demand method of contraception. Phexxi is the first non-hormonal, on-demand, vaginal pH regulator contraceptive designed to maintain vaginal pH within the normal range of 3.5 to 4.5 – an acidic environment that is…

Question: A 53-year-old postmenopausal woman presents as a new patient consult and for a second opinion. She underwent natural menopause at age 52 and had been on oral Hormone Therapy for severe hot flashes symptoms. She complains of decreased libido and has read about oral estrogen plus testosterone as an option to improve her sex drive and her continued hot flashes. One of her friends is also on estrogen/testosterone hormone therapy and shared noticeable improvement in libido. The patient…

Dr. Lynn Simpson and Dr. Holly L. Thacker discuss treatment options for women who suffer with heavy menstrual flow.

What is Vitamin K? Vitamin K is actually a group of fat-soluble vitamins that play a role in blood clotting, bone metabolism and regulating blood calcium levels. The body needs vitamin K to respond to injuries as it regulates normal blood clotting. Vitamin K comes in two forms - K1 and K2. Vitamin K1 is found in green, leafy and cruciferous vegetables. Vitamin K2 is found in dairy products, pork, poultry and fermented foods. Vitamin K2 is important for bone health and heart health. Food…

Guest columnist Dr. Cara King, a Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgeon (MIGS) at Cleveland Clinic and a mother of three, discusses the types of new, less invasive gynecologic surgeries available to women with benign gynecologic problems such as fibroids and endometriosis.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because it is produced in the skin by ultraviolet rays from the sun. Gray skies, weak winter sun, sunscreen use and an indoor lifestyle mean that most of us are lacking in this essential vitamin. Vitamin D From Sun Exposure Many people live in northern climates and are not at the right latitude to make vitamin D in their skin. (Did you know that vitamin D is actually not a vitamin, but a pro-sterol hormone?) Sun exposure without sunscreen for 10-15…

Even with modern medicine, “that time of the month” can be a pain for most women, especially those prone to heavy menstrual bleeding. But abnormal uterine bleeding shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your life. Gynecologist Cara King, DO, talks about why it happens and when it’s time to see a doctor. She also offers tips on managing heavy bleeding and explains how common and treatable the condition actually is.